Liverpool head to London on Wednesday to play Fulham FC at Craven Cottage by (and hopefully not IN) the River Thames.

Fulham have struggled this season and are currently rock-bottom of the Premier League. They were, however, active in the January transfer window (whilst other clubs were not!!) and have signed Johnny Heitinga from Everton, Lewis Holtby from Spurs, Clint Dempsey from Sounders FC (USA) and Konstantinos Mitroglou from Olympiakos to bolster their squad. Dimitar Berbatov strolled out of the exit door to a life in Monaco.

Mitroglou has yet to make his debut for his new club, and could be unleashed on Liverpool on Wednesday evening.

On Sunday, Fulham secured a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford to lift their spirits ahead of the game against a Liverpool side who will be buoyant following their thrashing of Arsenal at Anfield.

Hopefully, the point they took from Old Trafford on Sunday will act as a warning to Liverpool to treat the game with respect and not turn up expecting Fulham to roll over.

Fulham’s form (prior to the point at Old Trafford) has been dismal, they suffered humiliating defeat in front of their own fans against Sheffield United in the FA Cup last week, and have won just 2 of their last 12 league games, but they will battle and scrap in every game they play between now and the end of the season.

Martin Jol was sacked as manager by new owner Shahid Khan in December and the Michael Jackson statue was finally removed from the banks of the Thames, however, it didn’t bring a change of fortune for the “Cottagers” as they slipped to the foot of the table.

The game is expected to come too soon for Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger to return to the Reds starting XI, whilst Mamadou Sakho has not yet returned to training. Lucas is on the long-term sick list.

Last season, Liverpool won 3-1 at Craven Cottage. Berbatov opened the scoring for the home side, before Daniel Sturridge notched his first (and hopefully not last) Liverpool hat-trick.

A reminder to all Reds heading to London for the game, there is a tube strike planned for Wednesday, so ensure you allow enough time and plan your route to the ground.

A reminder to all Reds heading to London for the game, there is a tube strike planned for Wednesday, so ensure you allow enough time and plan your route to the ground.

A very good point. Recommend getting the train (from Waterloo/Clapham Junction) to Putney and walking over Putney Bridge. If coming in to Euston, the Northern Line might be running from Euston to Waterloo, it was during the strikes last week.

I think TAW did a pretty decent preview on the Fulham game as well, and why this win (yes we have to and will win) is vital. Every game is fucking crucial now. The last time we came off a big win (Merseyside derby) we got a little complacent and entered the game expecting to win. Here's hoping it won't happen again, and lets obliterate them.

Keeping our form up of 2 ppg is vital for us to finish in the top four. Next block of 5 looks like:

Fulham A, Swansea H, Southampton A, Sunderland H, Man Utd A

We need to be looking at taking maximum points from the two home games and this one, at least. Hopefully the performance at West Brom that followed the Everton game will serve as a reminder that we can't become complacent or play with less intensity.

Can't see anything other than the same team that's played the last three (injuries permitting of course). Just hope that as a result of the pressing game we've been playing, especially in the last two home games and the fact that the team is likely to be unchanged, that we don't become fatigued.

Come on Redmen!

« Last Edit: February 10, 2014, 01:47:57 PM by gray19lfc »

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On 15th April 1989, 96 Liverpool fans died watching their team - we haven't forgotten them.YNWA

After what happened at West Brom after the derby, surely the players and manager will be highly conscious of the need to bring the right mentality on Wednesday. Hopefully Studge, Stevie and (to a lesser extent, Luis) will benefit from being taken off early on Saturday. Fulham will be surely encouraged by yesterday, and their January signings, but with any luck will be tired from all that defending of crosses. Let's see how they deal with Coutinho's through balls...Tickets in the neutral end, and after Saturday absolutely buzzing to see this team again. Stuck in, lads.

Said in another thread if we can win on Wednesday and other results go our way then we will have one foot in the CL qualifiers. We have to approach every game from nos on as if qualification depended on it. If we do that we will beat sides like Fulham every day of the week, if we don't then we don't deserve to qualify. Attitude is all important from now.

Was surprised to see the Fulham line out v Utd with no BentDuffParker Hangeland Dempsey Hugo RodAmorebietaRuis (loan )

Was wondering at the time have they a eye on Wednesday night and see it as a better chance of getting 1/3 points ?

Once we watch the counter and sidwell I don't see much of a threat from Fulham .

Since they sit as deep as the 6 yard box and the next 4 on the 12 yard box and try to hit on the counter going to be Intersting how we approach this .Need a early goal to bring them out

Fulham have been crying out for some energy for a long time and its those players who everyone has acknowledged have got them into the mess they are in. I don't think the lineup against Man Utd was an experiment, I think it was the direction they want to go now.

If they were resting players then they would have rested Sidwell, who has been one of their few consistent performers.

We should just run the ball into the box and wait for contact. Webb will be keen to give an early penalty to show he is a decisive referee after all the bad publicity he's had lately. Just make sure it's not us that concede it! Probably best if it is Coutinho or Henderson that go down.

Fulham have been crying out for some energy for a long time and its those players who everyone has acknowledged have got them into the mess they are in. I don't think the lineup against Man Utd was an experiment, I think it was the direction they want to go now.

If they were resting players then they would have rested Sidwell, who has been one of their few consistent performers.

Haven't seen much of fulham this season but any highlights I've seen most of them seem to be involved , thought the line up was set up to play deep soak up cross after cross and use sidwell on the counter .

Think they will be more a bit offensive v us and not expect conference type cross after cross

Suarez to end his "drought". Their defence wont be able to handle him in the midst of all the movement from our front 3 as a whole. They can try and do what they did against Utd but we are going to be playing a lot more complex than they did. They wont get away with putting 11 people behind the ball in the box. I think we'll win by a few as long as we go in with the right mindset. They managed to score twice away at Old Trafford so lets not get too cocky. Play the way we have all season and we shouldn't have much trouble.

Hopefully they're knackered but yeah, if the players are serious about winning things and getting to the very top tier, they need to bring the right mentality along with them and keep their focus even if we go 1, 2 or even 3 up.

We struggle against teams who make a fight of it and match our work rate. Despite Fulham's rearguard action last night, I feel that result was more a result of the Moyesification than anything particularly impressive or aggressive that Fulham were doing. United had plenty of time on the ball to do what they wanted, however what they wanted just so happened to be a cross.

Really, barring some out of the blue display of energetic counter attacking by Fulham, we should all be confident this game is going to go according to the script and will hopefully be a routine win.

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You said, I think I'm like Tennessee Williams, I wait for the click, I wait but it doesn't kick in

A win would be huge. I'm confident we'll get the victory. Our away form has been spotty all season, but I'm sure the players will realize this is too big an opportunity to squander. Fulham were also run ragged last night against United.

4-1 with a Suarez hattrick.

« Last Edit: February 10, 2014, 02:35:54 PM by Kopenhagen »

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"To win something and share it with the fans is the greatest feeling in football"

Keep our heads and go get the 3 points. Whilst we'd all love more swashbuckling play, i'd take a plucky 1-0 thanks very much.

3 points above style now for me, onwards and upwards!! Come on you redmen!!!

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And when you find yourself along the untrodden pathRemember me with a smile, a drink, a gesture or a laughAnd a toast for the man who loves every hour of every dayAnd a feast for the friends and faces met along wayGratitude

with spurs winning yesterday we can't afford a slip up at craven cottage. If we go out there and play with the same courage as we did against Arsenal we'll kill them. If we don't, it could be another WBA or Hull.

This is the worst fulham team I have seen for a long time so it's in our hands. Stevie's words give me a lot of hope